Anthropic · Architect

Claude Certified Architect – Foundations

The architect foundations credential. Covers designing agentic systems end to end — model and interface selection, prompt engineering, tool use and structured output, retrieval, MCP, and Claude Code.

Who it's for: Solution architects designing and building agent systems with Claude.

CCAR-F60 questions120 minutes720/1000 to pass

Exam format

CCAR-F at a glance

The numbers that shape how you should prepare.

60Questions
120Minutes
720To pass /1000
7Domains
24Objectives
CertificationClaude Certified Architect – Foundations
Exam codeCCAR-F
Item formatMultiple-choice and scenario-based multiple-response
DeliveryProctored via Pearson VUE — online or test centre, closed book
ScoringScaled 100–1000; 720 required to pass
PaceAbout 120 seconds per item

Before you book: check you're eligible

Claude certification exams are currently open to people at Claude Partner Network organizations, and registration needs a partner email on a recognized company domain — a personal Gmail address will be rejected. Joining the Partner Network is free. Read the full eligibility guide →

The blueprint

Exactly what CCAR-F tests you on

7 domains and 24 published objectives. Every objective below is a skill the exam can assess — treat this as your revision checklist. The bars show how many objectives each domain carries.

Claude Product Foundations and Interfaces

4 published objectives

17%
  • Describe what Claude is and its core capabilities
  • Select the appropriate Claude surface (Chat, Projects, Artifacts, Cowork, Code)
  • Use Projects, knowledge sources, and connectors for grounded work
  • Apply Skills, Research mode, and Enterprise search appropriately

Claude API and Model Fundamentals

4 published objectives

17%
  • Differentiate Claude model families and select by task
  • Access Claude through the API and cloud platforms (e.g., Amazon Bedrock)
  • Construct Messages API requests and multi-turn conversations
  • Configure system prompts, temperature, streaming, and output controls

Prompt Engineering and Evaluation

3 published objectives

13%
  • Apply prompt engineering techniques (clear and direct, specific, XML tags, examples)
  • Design a prompt evaluation workflow and generate test datasets
  • Apply model-based and code-based grading

Tool Use and Structured Output

3 published objectives

13%
  • Define tools and JSON schemas for tool use
  • Handle tool-use responses and run tool functions
  • Extract structured data with tools and use built-in tools (e.g., text editor)

Retrieval-Augmented Generation

3 published objectives

13%
  • Explain retrieval-augmented generation and text chunking strategies
  • Apply text embeddings and lexical (BM25) search
  • Build a multi-stage RAG pipeline with reranking and contextual retrieval

Advanced Features and Model Context Protocol

3 published objectives

13%
  • Use advanced features (extended thinking, image and PDF support, citations, prompt caching)
  • Explain the Model Context Protocol and its client/server architecture
  • Define MCP tools, resources, and prompts

Agents and Claude Code

4 published objectives

17%
  • Describe the qualities of agents and agentic workflows
  • Set up and operate Claude Code (CLAUDE.md, permission modes, hooks, verification)
  • Extend and automate Claude Code (routines/headless, GitHub Actions, plugins, parallelization)
  • Apply computer use and automated debugging

Percentages show each domain's share of the published objectives — a guide to where the blueprint is densest. They are not Anthropic's official exam weightings.

Study strategy

How to focus your CCAR-F prep

Strategy derived from the published blueprint and the exam's format — not recollections of live exam content, which candidates are bound not to share.

Start with the blueprint, not a course. The 24 objectives above are the actual assessed skills. Rate yourself 1–5 on each, then spend your time on the 1s and 2s.

“Claude Product Foundations and Interfaces” carries the most published objectives (4 of 24), making it the densest area of the blueprint — a sensible place to go deep first.

Practise under the real clock. 60 items in 120 minutes is about 120 seconds per item. Timing pressure, not knowledge, is what most candidates underestimate.

Read every item's response count. Items state how many options to select; multiple-response questions are where careless marks are lost.

Build something real. These are scenario-based exams — questions describe situations rather than quiz definitions, so hands-on familiarity beats memorisation.

Rehearse closed-book. No notes, docs, or AI assistance are permitted, so practise the same way from the start.

Practise until you're consistently clearing 720

Anthropic retired its official practice exam in the move to Pearson VUE. Cred Farmer covers CCAR-F with study sections mapped to all 7 domains, four full 60-question mock exams plus a mastery test, flashcard drills, and a readiness score broken down per domain. Free while in open beta.

Start CCAR-F prep free

Questions

CCAR-F FAQ

The questions candidates ask most often.

Who can take the CCAR-F exam?

Claude certification exams are currently available to people at organizations in the Claude Partner Network, and registration requires a partner email address on a recognized company domain — personal email addresses are not accepted. Partner Network membership itself is free to join. Check your eligibility before you book.

How many questions is the CCAR-F exam, and how long do I get?

Claude Certified Architect – Foundations is 60 items in 120 minutes. Items are multiple-choice and scenario-based multiple-response; each item states how many responses to select. Expect additional seat time for check-in on top of the 120-minute clock.

What score do I need to pass CCAR-F?

720 on a scaled range of 100–1000. Scaled scoring equates results across exam forms that may differ slightly in difficulty, so the raw number of questions you need right is not fixed.

Is there an official CCAR-F practice exam?

No. Anthropic's practice exam was retired when exam delivery moved to Pearson VUE, so the only official practice material is the sample questions inside the exam guide. That gap is why Cred Farmer provides four full-length 60-question mock exams plus a mastery test for CCAR-F.

How long should I study for CCAR-F?

It depends on your starting point. If you already build with Claude regularly, working through the 7 domains and 24 objectives plus timed practice is usually a focused week or two. If the material is new, plan several weeks and lean on repetition rather than a single pass.

Is the CCAR-F exam open book?

No. All Claude certification exams are closed book. Notes, documentation, and AI assistants are not permitted during the exam, and sessions are proctored with identity verification.

Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Anthropic or Pearson VUE. Exam details are summarised from publicly published program information and can change — always confirm against the official exam guide before booking.

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